Tabula Rasa for All the King's Men
by Isabella of the Night
Summary: Klaus wanted to be King and so he will be. New Orleans is his city after all, and where they were all happiest. But whispering of rebellion is easy. Initiating it is a different issue. Especially when Marcel succeeded where the Originals did not. No one expected a baby to set everything in motion. Here in New Orleans is where they'll fix their family or finally break apart.
1. I The Orphan

**A/N** -Hello! So after _The Originals episode, _I started bouncing off ideas about the plot to my friend, who has occasionally mentioned my plot ideas were slightly better than canon VD. I have also managed to predict a few canon plot twists on VD. I really like what the pilot of TO has given us and want to write my own TO. Thus, my summer project was born. My goal is to type up the "first season" of _The Originals _spinoff before it airs and we'll compare and contrast to see how many I got right or if my canon kicks their canon's ass.

So while we wait for VD to come back on air and for TO to begin, I introduce to you my new VD fanfic! I hope y'all enjoy!

**disclaimer:** I don't own Vampire Diaries or The Originals. I do own the plot however to this fanfiction of mine.

**Warnings:** I am not from New Orleans. Before researching background info on New Orleans, all I knew about it was Mardi Gras, pretty, historic, and extremely haunted. That being said, I realize my research information can be/may be/is wrong and ask everyone who is knowledgable in New Orleans history to forgive me. I also have a problem with verb tenses. There is mention of slavery in this chapter.

* * *

_Tabula Rasa for All the King's Men_

Summary- my take on The Originals spinoff. He wanted to be King and so he will be. New Orleans is his city after all, and where they were all happiest. But whispering of rebellion is easy. Initiating it is a whole different thing. Especially when his prodigy Marcel succeeded where the Originals did not. She wanted normalcy in her life. He wanted him redeemed and the family together again. Here in New Orleans is where they'll fix their family...or finally break apart.

* * *

I. The Orphan

_New Orleans 1742_

Even though he was an orphan, Marcel knows his family history. It stings like the forty lashes his master has given him and clenches his heart as if he was drowning.

He knows his mother had been christened Isadora, that she had been one of the many African slaves brought to New Orleans twenty-four years ago. He knows his birth father had fallen for the young fourteen year old Isadora, for the striking black beauty of her, and outbidded everyone at the auction. Isadora had walked off the platform and into Prideaux's possession as the most expensive bought slave of the day. But to his birth father, it had been worth every penny.

Isadora had been assigned to Mistress Prideaux to be a caretaker for the children (Louis, Marie, and Charlotte) and under her tutage, soon learned the French language. Mistress Prideaux had held Isadora fondly in her heart but that had all changed when Isadora became pregnant. She soon miscarried unexpectantly and the next three times Isadora became pregnant, it ended the same.

Until Marcel was conceived. By then, Isadora had been recognized as Master Prideaux's mistress and was given a small house of her own in another area of New Orleans to the shame of Mistress Prideaux. But maybe the miscarriages had done something to Isadora's body for it betrayed her the night Marcel had been born. As Marcel drew his first breath, Isadora had breathed out her last. It had been Master Prideaux who named Marcel and taken him back to the Prideaux home.

(Marcel can't recall who had told him his family history. Had it been Sarah, the kind old cook who had looked after him before she had been sold to another master? Or had it been Delilah, Master Prideaux's mistress?)

Since then, Marcel had served the Prideaux family. Once Mistress Prideaux had died, Master Prideaux began to act fatherly towards Marcel. If acting fatherly meant a lighter workload, an occasional pat on the shoulder, and being randomly taught to read and write French in the master's study.

That all ended when Master Prideaux died during Marcel's seventeenth year and although his birth father never outright showed any favoritism towards him, his new master, the legitimate white son Louis, looked for any excuse to whip Marcel. Louis had been old enough to remember the anger and shame the late Mistress had gone through and wanted to retaliate on Marcel. Because Marcel had the same striking beauty of Isadora and his skin color displayed the mixed blood that ran through him. Because Marcel was the only one mentioned by name in the late Master's will, not Louis. But Louis would never mention this to Marcel, never.

Alas, even though the new Master Prideaux tried his best to beat and work Marcel into submission, to make Marcel cast his eyes down when ever Louis walked into the room, Marcel never cowered or wavered. In fact, Marcel would stare straight into Louis's eyes and even argued against him.

But Louis couldn't sell or kill Marcel. It was the last wish of the late Master and as the dutiful son, Louis can't disobey his father. (_Because if he did, he'll lose his inheritance)_

For four years, Louis and Marcel would continue this dance.

0o0o0

Marcel first meets Klaus and his family during the New Years Eve ball held at the Prideaux estate when he bows to them in greeting and tells the carriage driver where to park on the estate grounds. Marcel has heard enough from Louis and his wife's talks to know that the Mikaelson family were considered outsiders in New Orleans despite the fact that they were one of the first settler families and had contributed to the building of it. They were shrouded in mystery and have been rumored to have moved back to Europe. Had it been any other family, New Orleans society would have immediately shunned them but there was something about the Mikaelson family that intimidated people from doing so.

Like all the rest of the upper class, their eyes barely glance over to him as the three brothers helped their sister down the carriage and made sure she looked perfect before entering the Prideaux estate.

He thinks nothing more of the Mikaelson family.

.

.

.

Louis talks about the Mikaelson family for the next three days in outrage. They had approached him to ask if he was willing to sell the family business to which Louis had bulked at immediately. New Orleans grew larger every month and the Prideaux fabric business thrived because of it. Louis talks of the insolent tone the youngest Mikaelson male had addressed him with.

"It reminded me of Marcel." he admitted quietly to his wife while looking directly at him. Marcel ignores the bait and continued to move the decorative heavy chest from the room. Marcel thinks it is time someone finally showed Louis he wasn't the most powerful and felt disappointment it wasn't him. Marcel was a slave and did not have any power in society.

A week later, the Mikaelson family became partners to the Prideaux fabric business and to Louis' indignation, he couldn't remember why they became partners.

0o0o0

When the "insolent young Mikaelson male" was announced to have dropped by for a visit, Marcel was being lashed furiously by Louis. Marcel feels he had gone too far this time, that he would not survive the remaining lashes. Blood drips unto the ground, a small pond forming, making him tremble and it seems to motivate Louis more since the lashes became sharper, quicker, _agony_.

"Have I come at a bad time?" he asked, leaning against the doorway, his eyes flickering between Louis and Marcel. The fashionable fine clothes he wore betrayed his wealth status, higher than the Prideaux family could achieve.

Louis blinks and the whip stills. He straightened up and flung the whip to the side of Marcel.

"We're not finished yet, slave." he spat before he began to escort Klaus Mikaelson into the parlor. But Marcel can't resist getting the last word, even if it will cost him later, and he says, "I thought we were since the lashes kept getting weaker."

Louis's face flushed with anger and his eyes promised him retribution later when the guest has left. The corners of Klaus's mouth quirk up as if amused and he stares at Marcel a bit longer than was proper. Neither Marcel or Louis notice this.

0o0o0

Klaus suddenly appears before Marcel when he is limping to the courtyard under the guidance of the full moon for the continuance of his punishment (and more for his disrespect earlier). Marcel flinched back automatically and his back punishes him for it.

"Master Prideaux has quite a nasty temperament concerning you, Marcel." he says nonchalantly, as if he randomly pops up in the night to escort slaves to their masters. Marcel does not respond and instead he walks past Klaus. A sign of disrespect but Klaus just chuckled and appears before Marcel again.

"Tell me, Marcel, what do you want most in this world? Freedom?" he asked, his eyes flickering to Marcel's bloodstained shirt. Marcel shouldn't raise to the bait that was laid out in front of him, he was already keeping his master waiting, but like the fool he was, he answered Klaus.

"I want power the most. Everything else comes with it. Everyone will do anything for power." Marcel responded, looking at Klaus straight in the eye. Marcel might be a slave who doesn't know anything else besides a bit of French and his family history but what he does know is power counted. Having power _mattered_. It was the reason why men like Louis and Klaus can walk around as if they owned the world.

Klaus smirked and drew even more closer to Marcel.

"But will you do _anything_ for power?" he drawled, the tension spiking between them. Marcel barely had time to think Klaus might be a sodmist, looking for a new slave, when Klaus suddenly drew Marcel forward and sank his fangs deep into his neck.

A few moments later, a barely unconscious Marcel was fed blood from Klaus. Marcel drank deeply and was about to slump backwards unto the ground when Klaus snapped his neck quickly and painlessly.

This is how the slave Marcel dies.

0o0o0

When Marcel comes to and opens his eyes, the result made him aware of just how thirsty he was. He also recalls perfectly who had told him about Isadora-it had been the late Mistress Prideaux. He sits up and looks around to realize he was in a richly decorated bedroom. Klaus sat by his bedside, half hidden by the shadows of the candle lit room. But the shadows did not hide the dark-haired woman on Klaus's lap or how he was sucking her slender neck. The sight sent shivers down Marcel's spine before anger took over.

"What have you done to me?" snarled Marcel furiously. There were no mirrors in the room to reflect the way his face momentarily distorted and the veins around his eyes popped up or how fangs flashed as he spoke.

Klaus stops what he was doing and smirks at him, the vivid red of blood on his lips and chin contracting against the pale candle light and the darkness.

"What have I done to you? Why, I have given you what you wished for, of course." replied Klaus, leaning back against the chair and letting the woman slump further down on his lap. The revealed fact that she was unconscious did nothing to relieve Marcel's fears.

"And what exactly is that?" he shouted at him. If it was even more possible, Klaus's smirk grew larger and with eyes glinting maliciously, he flung the woman on the top of the bed. Blood dripped from her neck, where two small puncture wounds laid, and her breathing was far too shallow to be normal.

"I have given you power, Marcel." Klaus announced triumphantly.

* * *

A/N- In _The Originals _episode, it is revealed that Klaus and his family were run out of town "100 years ago," which according to the Vampire Diaries wiki, happens to be in 1911. However, Marcel's remark, "Three hundred years ago, you helped build a backwater penal colony into something," is inconsistent with the founding year of New Orleans (1718) because his remark puts it at 1711. I can then conclude based on his flippant remark and the fact that Marcel was basically raised by Klaus after his turning ("You taught me everything I know" and a synonym of protégé is dependant), that Marcel is almost as old as the city itself. Klaus's remark about Marcel having being a "pathetic little scrapper still trembling from the lashes of the whips of those who would keep you down," supports this idea because in my ignorant mind, whipping means middle ages to Civil War era (1860s) or ending at the 1900s.

But wait, Klaus says "When I left 100 years ago you were a pathetic little scrapper..." and doesn't that throw off my theory? No. I figure Marcel would have been a mere shadow of himself all those years ago, afraid of and grateful to Klaus just as Klaus's siblings love and hate him, becoming the Marcel we know after Klaus has left and he had to pick up the pieces, becoming more confident and assured as vampires began to follow him instead. (In the Marcel trivia section of the VD wiki, it mentions all of the above but it doesn't in the profile and history which confuses me so I'm just going to stick with my own theory.)

With that said, please review! Comment on my argument, argue against it, or tell me what you think so far. I hope to update every Thursday with a new chapter but we shall see if I do. Reviews will help greatly ;)


	2. II The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

**A/N** - So I'm guessing the lack of reviews is Marcel's fault but no worries, this time the Originals are in it completely. I had a hard time trying to get away from writing Marcel but he's so fun to write! He's becoming my favorite villian ;)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Vampire Diaries or The Originals. I do own the plot however to this fanfiction of mine.

**Warnings:** Takes place before _She's Come Undone._Characters might be slightly ooc.

* * *

_Tabula Rasa for All the King's Men_

Summary- my take on The Originals spinoff. He wanted to be King and so he will be. New Orleans is his city after all, and where they were all happiest. But whispering of rebellion is easy. Initiating it is a whole different thing. Especially when his prodigy Marcel succeeded where the Originals did not. She wanted normalcy in her life. He wanted him redeemed and the family together again. Here in New Orleans is where they'll fix their family...or finally break apart.

* * *

_"By the pricking of my thumbs, Something wicked this way comes."_

-Macbeth (Act 4, Scene 1)

II. The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

Although Marcel smiles and publicly forgives Klaus in front of his inner circle, Marcel was no fool. He had spent the majority of his vampire life by Klaus after all and knows there might be trouble brewing in New Orleans due to Klaus's arrival. But Marcel plays the part Klaus has unknowingly lain out to perfection for his sire smiles and asks, "No hard feelings, mate?"

"I've forgotten about it already, Klaus. What's mine is yours after all. In fact, the Quarter will be hosting its own night festival in a week. Since you are my guest of honor here, why don't you join us in the celebrations?" Marcel says, laying around on Klaus's shoulders and leading him out of the room.

"A festival? To my knowledge, there is-." Klaus started to say.

"No festival? How many times do I have to say things have changed around here? Vampires rule New Orleans now especially in the Quarter." interrupted Marcel, laughing a bit and shaking his head at the ignorance displayed by Klaus.

From the corner of his eye, Marcel saw Klaus's face distort into livid fury at his interruption and mocking momentarily before shifting back to one of neutrality. The moment had passed too quickly, had anyone else been watching Klaus, it would've gone unnoticed...unless someone was looking for it.

'_Gotcha._' thought Marcel triumphantly as he went on to ramble about how great the night festival was going to be, how it attracted tourists, and so on.

"Well then, far from me to say no to what sounds like a good party." Klaus said, smirking widely.

Marcel laughed and slapped him on the back before saying, "You could never turn down a great party."

Even after Klaus had left, Marcel kept up the pretense of forgiving his sire. It wouldn't do Marcel any good if Klaus manage to hear how Marcel didn't believe the bullshit he was spouting. Once he was absolutely sure Klaus was gone and not within hearing distance, Marcel began to walk toward the east wing of his house, where the library was.

"Davina." He calls out once he entered the library.

"Here." Responded Davina. He glances over to see Davina was hidden behind multiple stacks of books and moved some away to see her.

"What are you writing now, Davina?" he asks as he took a seat next to her. Davina frowns at the screen before answering his question.

"Term paper, M."

With that said, she ignored his presence. Marcel smiled. It was obvious how much she had grown used to him since the day she moved into his house. Porcelain skin contrasted his mocha skin as he laid a hand on her left hand to still her typing.

"Be extra cautious outside, Davina. My sire has returned to New Orleans and I haven't forgotten that where he goes, split blood soon follows after." Marcel says darkly.

Having caught her complete attention, Davina frowns and began to chew on one strand of her long dark hair.

"Is one of the Originals really here, Marcel?" she asked nervously.

Marcel nodded.

"And where one Original goes, the rest will follow. It won't be long before Elijah and Rebekah arrive in New Orleans."

OoOoO

"Don't you have another pair of brothers to break up in, I don't know, Switzerland?" asked Rebekah spitefully.

"Nice retort. How long did it take you to come up with it?" countered Katherine without looking up from the dress catalog Rebekah had discarded long ago on the coffee table. She then turned it around to display a stunning daringly cut dress and continued, "Ambitious, aren't we?"

Rebekah blushed angrily. It had been one of the first to have been earmarked as a potential post graduation party dress before Elijah had seen it and flat out refused to let her buy the dress. That was the only reason really. Rebekah understood Katherine had been dumped but why did she have to hang around her house and make snide remarks? It was time to kick Katherine out.

"Isn't someone thinking too highly of herself? I mean, Tatia was everything to my brothers. Elijah and Klaus were only interested in you, years later, not only for being the doppelganger but because they saw _her_. Seems like Elijah realized his mistake. The copy is worthless compared to the original. You'll never come close to the holy damnation Tatia possesses in my family." Rebekah said angrily.

It was brief but Rebekah didn't spend the majority of her time with her brothers without picking up a few skills of her own. She saw the way Katherine looked hurt and vulnerable for a second before the bitch was back.

"And who says I wasn't using them too back in the day?" she snapped back as she flung the magazine back to its place before continuing, "I know when I'm not wanted and _unlike some people_, I know when to leave."

Before Rebekah could respond to that, Katherine was gone and the house suddenly felt too empty for just her.

'_I'll go to the library. I haven't visited in a while_.' thought Rebekah, trying to get her mind off being alone.

OoOoO

"It is complete." announced Klaus as he entered the hotel room and slammed the door. Elijah merely glanced at him, having been drinking his daily cup of tea when Klaus had come in, before setting down the cup at the table next to it.

"Marcel deserves to have his limbs rip out one by one for such insolence and _disrespect_ against me. Me! His sire! The one who raised him from the hell he was going to die in!" ranted Klaus indignantly.

"But does he suspect?" Elijah smoothly cut off Klaus's rant as he inquired about Marcel's gullibility.

"Oh, he fell for it completely, brother. Marcel suspects nothing."

"Then, it's time I look for a more premenant residence than this."

Elijah stood up, button up his suit before nodding to Klaus and headed to the door when Klaus spoke.

"Will Rebekah join us soon?"

"So far, no but can you blame her, Niklaus?"

0o0o0

"Hey, I didn't expect to see you here." Matt greeted Rebekah with his brilliant smile in the history section of the library. To be exact, she was in the Italian section, looking up the 12th century. It was time like these that made her feel nostolgic for Alexander. It was Alexander's fault that she longed for normalcy. The passionate love they had and the sudden betrayal crushed her all those years ago.

"Same to you. Tell me, what's up with all those books you're carrying?" asked Rebekah, shelving the book quickly before moving to his side to check the titles of the books Matt was holding. After all, gossip spreads quickly with Matt's friends.

"Oh, I need to do a little bit of catching up for senior finals" says Matt bashfully as he shrugged it off.

Suspicious, Rebekah asked, "Just how much catching up?"

She even stepped much closer than was necessary, a tactic she learned from Nik to get the truth out of people, while maintaining steady eye contact. As she predicted, Matt looked away first and said, "Okay! I'm failing Italian, history, and math. It's just-there's a lot of stuff going on and we're not all immortal vampires who can just go back to school whenever."

"Of course, you're not. Why don't I help you wtih this? I may be rusty with history, having spent the majority of it in a box after all, but the rest I can help." she offered.

Matt was going to automatically say no but seeing the hopeful look on her face and remembering how Caroline had mentioned Klaus and Elijah had left for Mystic Falls, made him agree.

"Sure. I'll be at the Salvatore's house so just drop by whenever you feel like helping me, Rebekah." he offered, smiling at her.

Because Matt knew what it felt like to be completely alone.

0o0o0

The phone broke the heavy silence in Rebekah's room. It rang longer than she usually let it go on before answering it.

"I'm not changing my mind, Elijah." she says as she took the call without seeing who it was. After all, only her family called her nowadays.

"And why ever not, Rebekah? There is nothing keeping you in Mystic Falls. But everything waits for you in New Orleans."

"By everything, I bet you meant a dagger and a box." she said stubbornly. She heard Elijah sigh and could imagine him glancing frustringly to the side, his jaw set stubbornly.

"There will be no dagger and a box, Rebekah." he scolded her gently, "There is a chance to repair the rips in our relationship. New Orleans and the unborn child will bind us together and we can then truly say we all love each other."

There was a pause as Rebekah thought about what he had said before Elijah continued softly, "I have yet to tell Klaus of this but I bought back the house for us."

"It survived?" She exclaimed in surprise, sitting up. There were no words to describe how much she loved that house. It had been the first house she had picked and decorated by herself. The first time she truly felt she had stepped into the role of being "the Lady of the house."

"Of course. Remodeled over the year and slightly different but it is still the same. The old foundation still stands. Come to New Orleans and decorate your house again, Rebekah."

_Decorate your house again_. Those words shook her steady determination to get away from her family once and for all. She had deeply loved the house, loved it like a mother would a child.

This time, her tone wavered as she said, "No. I'm staying in Mystic Falls."

In New Orleans, Elijah lets out a small smile of victory before saying, "I'll leave a key in the usual place. Until then, goodnight Rebekah and don't hesitate to call me if you have need."

* * *

A/N- I'll be taking a short haitus while updating some of my other stories. Please review.


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